My horrific weekend!!!!! 8-8, 9-6 9-5

[Victor85]

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seriously WTF happy&healthy.
Just got our hours cut again, it’s flu season.
I’m pretty lucky, I work in a super slow store. Less than 100 script a day. Usually will have opening tech Friday, sat, n Sunday. With this new latest cut. I’m having to go without anyone opening with me for first 2 hour.
Literally did in the first 2 hr (lucky for me shingrix did not come on friday's order)
30 flu shot + 10 pneumo fri
23 flu + 5 pneumo sat
20 flu + 8 pneumo sun
I stopped counting when the one tech came.
Seriously I’ve made up my mind, gotta find something outside of this pharmacy nonsense.
Has anyone tried looking outside pharmacy? Some type of business that we can purchase or buy into?
Something you can leverage your status as a pharmacist, but doesn’t have anything to do with pharmacy. I don’t want to have to deal with conflict of interest. I don’t mind hanging on to my job and working nights and day until I can get some sort of business up and running.
Just looking for options. If anyone is currently doing any research and needs a second opinion. I’m game.
I just feel like we are on our own. No one really cares for us as a profession. We need to look out for one another.
Please don’t tell me: residency, or prn in hospital, or open an independent.
I just want OUT. I don’t even care where it is. I’ll move if needed.

I think I mentioned in the past I almost bought a couple auntie Annes in Walmart but it was priced too high for the return and work involved. DRASTIC REDUCTION!!! Auntie Anne 2 Store Package - Business for Sale in Sarasota, FL
This listing was 159k when I looked at it. And the owner told me he didn’t make 45k after everything. More like 25k.

I looked into buying a research facility. The money is there but I’m dependent on the doctor who is selling it to me to run it.
High Margin, Very Profitable Pre-clinical CRO | Businesses For Sale | BizQuest.com

I also saw some type of medical and health consulting franchise pop up on linkedin Saturday while searching.
RX2Live Franchising
I put my information in, I hope they call me tomorrow. Looked interesting, they got the shark tank guy. I googled the company. they offer a bunch of services for doctors office. One of the service is Chronic Care Management. I googled chronic care management. Seemed like our MTM service.

Any one has any info on this company and this chronic care management thing?

Or anything about any other business? I think the word i'm looking for is desperate.

 

[Sine Cura]

If you can do 40 shots in the first 2 hours (you said 30 + 10) you are a machine.

73 flu shots in 6 hours... that is 16% of my annual "goal"

 

[Victor85]

If you can do 40 shots in the first 2 hours (you said 30 + 10) you are a machine.

73 flu shots in 6 hours... that is 16% of my annual "goal"

lol i felt like a machine. It not that impressive, 30 shots but the majority are couples and the 10 pneumo are add on to their flu shot.
so take them both into the room. Bam bam both arm. done. Keep small talk to a minimum. lol
it's not bad all the time. But lately the bad days have definitely out numbered the good days.

 

[Gombrich12]

If you're by yourself start turning people away, it's not like you are making extra money for all those shots and the stress involved.

 

[owlegrad]

You do less than 100 a day and 40 of them are shots you do in the first two hours by yourself?

The rest of your day must be cake!

 

[allantois]

And the award for hardest working pharmacist goes to..

 

[Victor85]

If you're by yourself start turning people away, it's not like you are making extra money for all those shots and the stress involved.

You do less than 100 a day and 40 of them are shots you do in the first two hours by yourself?

The rest of your day must be cake!

And the award for hardest working pharmacist goes to..

Do you guys actually work in real retail pharmacy??? You must know script counts is not the only determining factor in how bad your job is. Hell I admit it, my script count is great, i usually get to sit in a stool when it's not busy. There are one off where you are bombarded with flu shot because some headlines some where in the newspaper about the flu epidemic this year (who knows).
But sitting in a stool comes with a whole new set of problem:
let's see here
"you aren't busy i need you to register for other stores and do their MTM so they meet their goals."
"I need you to call other store for their patients for adherence and refills and blah blah blah."
"I need you to remote verify for other busy stores."
"I need you to type for busy stores."
"your script count is not high enough, I think we are going to have to talk about changing your pharmacy opening hours to 9-7?"
You know what happens to the staff pharmacist when a store go to 9-7? You are on your own, float around. I'm sorry we can guarantee you full time now. Too many new grads need hours.
Listen, like i said there are good days and bad days. Do I work hard? hell yea, I may not fill as much as someone in a 400-500 hundred a day store (trust me I did my time), I still get stuck with a lot of crap.

you all are missing the point, I'm not here to brag about how great I am at doing 40 shots. Hell if I have a choice i'd turn them away like Gombrich suggested. (Is that still an option? LOL "I'm sorry sir its too busy you are going to have to come back later to get your flu shot." )Until I find something better, I'd like to keep my job.
If I had a choice I'd never go to pharmacy school to begin with, unfortunately I have no choice. So I'm just trying to see if anyone else has an option that I did not or have no seen.
Man you guys are brutal!!!!

 

[owlegrad]

Do you guys actually work in real retail pharmacy???

Man you guys are brutal!!!!

Brutal? Sir I am in total awe of you!

 

[DOOM N GLOOM]

Do you guys actually work in real retail pharmacy??? You must know script counts is not the only determining factor in how bad your job is. Hell I admit it, my script count is great, i usually get to sit in a stool when it's not busy. There are one off where you are bombarded with flu shot because some headlines some where in the newspaper about the flu epidemic this year (who knows).
But sitting in a stool comes with a whole new set of problem:
let's see here
"you aren't busy i need you to register for other stores and do their MTM so they meet their goals."
"I need you to call other store for their patients for adherence and refills and blah blah blah."
"I need you to remote verify for other busy stores."
"I need you to type for busy stores."
"your script count is not high enough, I think we are going to have to talk about changing your pharmacy opening hours to 9-7?"
You know what happens to the staff pharmacist when a store go to 9-7? You are on your own, float around. I'm sorry we can guarantee you full time now. Too many new grads need hours.
Listen, like i said there are good days and bad days. Do I work hard? hell yea, I may not fill as much as someone in a 400-500 hundred a day store (trust me I did my time), I still get stuck with a lot of crap.

you all are missing the point, I'm not here to brag about how great I am at doing 40 shots. Hell if I have a choice i'd turn them away like Gombrich suggested. (Is that still an option? LOL "I'm sorry sir its too busy you are going to have to come back later to get your flu shot." )Until I find something better, I'd like to keep my job.
If I had a choice I'd never go to pharmacy school to begin with, unfortunately I have no choice. So I'm just trying to see if anyone else has an option that I did not or have no seen.
Man you guys are brutal!!!!

So on one hand you’ve got retail pharmacists complaining about being overworked due to the high volume/script count they have to deal with, and on the other hand you’ve got retail pharmacists complaining about being overworked because they are given things to do when they have a low script count.

Why does everyone think they’re entitled to controlling their own work environment in retail? We’re the ones demanding for “provider status” and for “the pharmacist to be the front-line HCP” and you’d rather bum around and play on your phone/socialize with coworkers than doing flu shots or MTM calls? I get that the metrics are unrealistic sometimes, but it’s a self-inflicted wound, I tell ya. Can’t have double standards like that.

 

[Victor85]

Brutal? Sir I am in total awe of you!

Awe? Lol stop with the trolling.


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[BidingMyTime]

Hell if I have a choice i'd turn them away like Gombrich suggested. (Is that still an option? LOL "I'm sorry sir its too busy you are going to have to come back later to get your flu shot." )

You don't have to turn people away, just be honest about the wait time. Like say, "Flu shot? Great! Feel free to look around the store and I will page you when it's your turn. I'm here completely by myself and there are 25 people waiting for flu shots ahead of you, so it will probably be 90 - 120 minutes, depending on how many prescription come in for me to fill in between flu shots." Most people will then say, "would there be a better time to come back?" If not, then they are OK with the wait time, so it's all good.

 

[Sine Cura]

No, the main issue here is not the workload, but the lack of support hours.

I can do 30 shots in 2 hours but that would be impossible to do by yourself in most stores without customer complaints. Then you have to break the news that the pt has a Medicare Advantage plan you don't take (oh they have no clue; they just gave you their red-white-and-blue card...) so they can't get the flu shot covered at this pharmacy, your kid's Medicaid does not cover this particular amoxicillin suspension or mupirocin, we don't have 12 boxes of permethrin for your family, or other typical B.S. (not that 12 boxes of permethrin is common but the fact that it's that kind of B.S. that is non-stop all day)

 

[Lnsean]

No, the main issue here is not the workload, but the lack of support hours.

I can do 30 shots in 2 hours but that would be impossible to do by yourself in most stores without customer complaints. Then you have to break the news that the pt has a Medicare Advantage plan you don't take (oh they have no clue; they just gave you their red-white-and-blue card...) so they can't get the flu shot covered at this pharmacy, your kid's Medicaid does not cover this particular amoxicillin suspension or mupirocin, we don't have 12 boxes of permethrin for your family, or other typical B.S. (not that 12 boxes of permethrin is common but the fact that it's that kind of B.S. that is non-stop all day)

Yea...it's really all the bullsht that comes with each shot and each prescription that is time consuming.

 

[Victor85]

No, the main issue here is not the workload, but the lack of support hours.

I can do 30 shots in 2 hours but that would be impossible to do by yourself in most stores without customer complaints. Then you have to break the news that the pt has a Medicare Advantage plan you don't take (oh they have no clue; they just gave you their red-white-and-blue card...) so they can't get the flu shot covered at this pharmacy, your kid's Medicaid does not cover this particular amoxicillin suspension or mupirocin, we don't have 12 boxes of permethrin for your family, or other typical B.S. (not that 12 boxes of permethrin is common but the fact that it's that kind of B.S. that is non-stop all day)

Yea...it's really all the bullsht that comes with each shot and each prescription that is time consuming.

Lack of support!!! A great way to put this.
We can turn this into another thread bashing this profession. I don't think we need another one. LOL
I am merely sharing my weekend to point out the fact that it has finally pushed me far enough to want to leave this profession for good. Definitely not bragging.
Honestly, I'm not a business major or business person, I don't have a lot of experience outside of pharmacy. Just want to see what my colleagues out there are doing or thinking about doing.
Hoping someone has more experience or insight into what I am looking at. I'm hoping can save me from making a costly mistake.
If someone has any input or suggestion. I'd love to hear it.

 

[wagrxm2000]

I like how everyone skipped all the nonsense after the first few sentences. It's like OP tried to lure us in by complaining then actually get someone to read the rest.

30 flu shots is more normal for a store doing twice this script count. Highly doubtful this is true.

 

[Victor85]

I like how everyone skipped all the nonsense after the first few sentences. It's like OP tried to lure us in by complaining then actually get someone to read the rest.

30 flu shots is more normal for a store doing twice this script count. Highly doubtful this is true.

lol get a load of this guy,
Hey btw I'm opening tomorrow again. Can you tell me how many shots I'll have so I can mentally prepare myself.

 

[PA_dud3]

lol get a load of this guy,
Hey btw I'm opening tomorrow again. Can you tell me how many shots I'll have so I can mentally prepare myself.

I'll take red 32

 

[Victor85]

I'll take red 32

I hope not, don't jinx me. Swear to god I will walk out.

 

[pencilandpen]

I hope not, don't jinx me. Swear to god I will walk out.

Lol walking out that's not even a threat anymore. Please do walk out. You will be replaced in a heartbeat and will be forgotten in a day

 

[PA_dud3]

I hope not, don't jinx me. Swear to god I will walk out.

Give it your best shot...

heh.

 

[wagrxm2000]

lol get a load of this guy,
Hey btw I'm opening tomorrow again. Can you tell me how many shots I'll have so I can mentally prepare myself.

What's the stores flu goal? If you can tell me that, I'll believe you.

(Trick question, if you go high I know it's wrong and well if you go low, you wouldn't do 30 in one day at a 90 script store)

Also why would a store doing less then 100 per day need a tech on Sunday? 100 per day is probably 50ish tech hours/week. You probably sell 50 scripts on a Sunday.

 

[owlegrad]

What's the stores flu goal? If you can tell me that, I'll believe you.

(Trick question, if you go high I know it's wrong and well if you go low, you wouldn't do 30 in one day at a 90 script store)

Also why would a store doing less then 100 per day need a tech on Sunday? 100 per day is probably 50ish tech hours/week. You probably sell 50 scripts on a Sunday.

50 scripts on a Sunday when 40 of them are shots done in the first 2 hours? Seems unlikely.

 

[Momus]

I'd do shots all day long. I love doing them. I feel like I'm helping the patients. I am always my own first customer to get the shot for the season and I did it myself. I'm often the top 3 immunizers in the district.

Waiting for Gardasil 9 to be approved on cdc and acip so I can get them too. My insurance covers it. I completed the old one.

 

[Ace41690]

Do we really have any stores left that do less than 100/day?

 

[Sine Cura]

Candidates to do less than 100/day

Sam's Club and Costco

Pharmacies in rural touristy areas with small populations (< 10k)

New pharmacies

 

[Modest_anteater]

lol i felt like a machine. It not that impressive, 30 shots but the majority are couples and the 10 pneumo are add on to their flu shot.
so take them both into the room. Bam bam both arm. done. Keep small talk to a minimum. lol
it's not bad all the time. But lately the bad days have definitely out numbered the good days.

When a pet's bad days are worse than it's good days it's time to put the pet down. I'm saying you have to leave pharmacy for your own mental health. You played the game and lost. Time to go back to school for a in-demand (TM) major.

 

[Modest_anteater]

Yea...it's really all the bullsht that comes with each shot and each prescription that is time consuming.

Imagine you ran a pharmacy and a customer came in with a prescription for "Bull****" and you had to go down into a basement where the cow farm was and look for cow droppings with a shovel and flashlight to find a bull fecal dropping of a certain shade of color and certain weight then bag it and hand it to a customer. now that would be bullsh*t

 

[PA_dud3]

Imagine you ran a pharmacy and a customer came in with a prescription for "Bull****" and you had to go down into a basement where the cow farm was and look for cow droppings with a shovel and flashlight to find a bull fecal dropping of a certain shade of color and certain weight then bag it and hand it to a customer. now that would be bullsh*t

 

[Victor85]

Do we really have any stores left that do less than 100/day?

I do, it's a beach store. I admit when snow bird are here it's around 150.
Nonetheless its pretty nice.
BTW whoever said 32 red jinxed me today. Tech called out (YAY) no replacement til 3 hr later. Luckily not as many shot. It was actually very nice even store manager came back and helped me fill for a bit.

Lol walking out that's not even a threat anymore. Please do walk out. You will be replaced in a heartbeat and will be forgotten in a day

Give it your best shot...

heh.

I've set a goal for 2 years. By this time 2020. I've got to either be PRN or out completely. Someone PM in 2 years and i'll release my spot to you (if I still have it lol)

What's the stores flu goal? If you can tell me that, I'll believe you.

(Trick question, if you go high I know it's wrong and well if you go low, you wouldn't do 30 in one day at a 90 script store)

Also why would a store doing less then 100 per day need a tech on Sunday? 100 per day is probably 50ish tech hours/week. You probably sell 50 scripts on a Sunday.

Goal? why would I know what the goal is, who gives a crap. I don't get a bonus I don't get a raise anymore. Although my store manager did say I might get a bonus as a staff this year. I'm not holding my breath.
Anyways seriously, I don't know what the goal is. Although I did hear the mgr and rxm said something about we are at 130% of flu shot goals already. I could be wrong, I think it's too early in the year for that. If we at at 130% of goal, we are screwed next year.

 

[wagrxm2000]

I do, it's a beach store. I admit when snow bird are here it's around 150.
Nonetheless its pretty nice.
BTW whoever said 32 red jinxed me today. Tech called out (YAY) no replacement til 3 hr later. Luckily not as many shot. It was actually very nice even store manager came back and helped me fill for a bit.



I've set a goal for 2 years. By this time 2020. I've got to either be PRN or out completely. Someone PM in 2 years and i'll release my spot to you (if I still have it lol)

Goal? why would I know what the goal is, who gives a crap. I don't get a bonus I don't get a raise anymore. Although my store manager did say I might get a bonus as a staff this year. I'm not holding my breath.
Anyways seriously, I don't know what the goal is. Although I did hear the mgr and rxm said something about we are at 130% of flu shot goals already. I could be wrong, I think it's too early in the year for that. If we at at 130% of goal, we are screwed next year.

Now you are just looking foolish.

Might want to open a new thread so someone could answer the questions you really wanted answered, ha.

 

[Victor85]

Now you are just looking foolish.

Might want to open a new thread so someone could answer the questions you really wanted into about, ha.

seems like all thread will eventually get sidetracked. it's ok.

 

[BidingMyTime]

I like how everyone skipped all the nonsense after the first few sentences. It's like OP tried to lure us in by complaining then actually get someone to read the rest.

Well, I was dumb enough to read the rest. But I have no idea what an Auntie Anna is, and whatever was at the link he posted is no longer there, so yeah, I agree with you it was all nonsense.

 

[Sine Cura]

Auntie Anne's is a pretzel chain

 

[DrVader]

seriously WTF happy&healthy.
Just got our hours cut again, it’s flu season.
I’m pretty lucky, I work in a super slow store. Less than 100 script a day. Usually will have opening tech Friday, sat, n Sunday. With this new latest cut. I’m having to go without anyone opening with me for first 2 hour.
Literally did in the first 2 hr (lucky for me shingrix did not come on friday's order)
30 flu shot + 10 pneumo fri
23 flu + 5 pneumo sat
20 flu + 8 pneumo sun
I stopped counting when the one tech came.
Seriously I’ve made up my mind, gotta find something outside of this pharmacy nonsense.
Has anyone tried looking outside pharmacy? Some type of business that we can purchase or buy into?
Something you can leverage your status as a pharmacist, but doesn’t have anything to do with pharmacy. I don’t want to have to deal with conflict of interest. I don’t mind hanging on to my job and working nights and day until I can get some sort of business up and running.
Just looking for options. If anyone is currently doing any research and needs a second opinion. I’m game.
I just feel like we are on our own. No one really cares for us as a profession. We need to look out for one another.
Please don’t tell me: residency, or prn in hospital, or open an independent.
I just want OUT. I don’t even care where it is. I’ll move if needed.

I think I mentioned in the past I almost bought a couple auntie Annes in Walmart but it was priced too high for the return and work involved. DRASTIC REDUCTION!!! Auntie Anne 2 Store Package - Business for Sale in Sarasota, FL
This listing was 159k when I looked at it. And the owner told me he didn’t make 45k after everything. More like 25k.

I looked into buying a research facility. The money is there but I’m dependent on the doctor who is selling it to me to run it.
High Margin, Very Profitable Pre-clinical CRO | Businesses For Sale | BizQuest.com

I also saw some type of medical and health consulting franchise pop up on linkedin Saturday while searching.
RX2Live Franchising
I put my information in, I hope they call me tomorrow. Looked interesting, they got the shark tank guy. I googled the company. they offer a bunch of services for doctors office. One of the service is Chronic Care Management. I googled chronic care management. Seemed like our MTM service.

Any one has any info on this company and this chronic care management thing?

Or anything about any other business? I think the word i'm looking for is desperate.

Most people can't tell a pharmacist from a tech. Most people don't know what pharmacist does, they think you count pills. Most people don't give a **** that you have a pharmD. I say it once, I will say it again. Pharmacy will be the worst field there is, far worse than lawyers. Lawyers can branch out, go into politics. No one knows what a pharmacist does.

 

[uicgrad]

What's the cash price for an adult flu shot for those without any insurance?

 

[Rouelle]

What's the cash price for an adult flu shot for those without any insurance?

Somewhere around the $35-$45 range (cash price, no discounts).

 

[Sine Cura]

Costco price is $19.99 this year for IIV4 apparently

 

[Momus]

Costco large pizza combo for $9.99 total 4200 calories. That's the only thing that matters.

 

[owlegrad]

Costco large pizza combo for $9.99 total 4200 calories. That's the only thing that matters.

Wow. Like...for real?

 

[Momus]

Wow. Like...for real?

This is one slice 😀 Don't have to be a member to purchase it, most Costco food court is right outside the building.

 

[owlegrad]

I didn’t realize an entire pizza had 4.2k cal let alone one slice/combo!

Edit: truly harrowing.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Costco large pizza combo for $9.99 total 4200 calories. That's the only thing that matters.

So what you are saying is a person could live (unhealthy) off half a combo a day for $5 and get their daily calories?

And people say it's impossible to live cheaply and pay off their loan quickly that's only $1825 a year!!!!!!

 

[owlegrad]

So what you are saying is a person could live (unhealthy) off half a combo a day for $5 and get their daily calories?

And people say it's impossible to live cheaply and pay off their loan quickly that's only $1825 a year!!!!!!

Are you going to go in halvesies with someone else every day? Or just buy the combo QOD and eat leftover pizza every other day?

And I am pretty sure that it is a well-known concept that eating unhealthy is far, far cheaper and easier than eating healthy, unless you are growing your own garden or something (still probably more expensive than just buying that pizza QOD?).

 

[wagrxm2000]

Are you going to go in halvesies with someone else every day? Or just buy the combo QOD and eat leftover pizza every other day?

And I am pretty sure that it is a well-known concept that eating unhealthy is far, far cheaper and easier than eating healthy, unless you are growing your own garden or something (still probably more expensive than just buying that pizza QOD?).

I'm sure I could find someone to split it every other day.

Cold pizza is good though

 

[owlegrad]

I'm sure I could find someone to split it every other day.

Cold pizza is good though

If you split it with someone every other day, wouldn't that leave you with 1/4 pizza every day?

You are right about cold pizza though, breakfast of champions, no?

 

[VA77]

Ok. Enough about f....ing pizza. This is retail pharmacy. You to more with less. Either you can deal with it or you can't. The door is on the out there either go to another job or start your own.

 

[Momus]

If you split it with someone every other day, wouldn't that leave you with 1/4 pizza every day?

You are right about cold pizza though, breakfast of champions, no?

I can't eat cold pizza. I just bought one.... And, I looked at the sign again it's 4500 cal 18 in. wide

 

[wagrxm2000]

I can't eat cold pizza. I just bought one.... And, I looked at the sign again it's 4500 cal 18 in. wide

I could hibernate through the winter eating just cold pizza

Weekend with the wife away visiting her parents with the kids. I'm set with this.

 

[owlegrad]

I can't eat cold pizza. I just bought one.... And, I looked at the sign again it's 4500 cal 18 in. wide

4.5 cal for the whole pizza seems pretty reasonable to me. Without breaking out the calculator that seems like about 600 cal each. Much more reasonable than over 4K for one combo!!!

And obviously we will decide when we have talked about enough f’ing pizza. 😛

 

[Hels2007]

*hates cold pizza*
*refused to recognize the photographed monstrosities as "pizza"*